E360 Forum—Atlanta, GA

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Prepare for Changes Coming to Our Industry

On February 18, 2016, Emerson Climate Technologies took its E360 Forum to the Marriott Atlanta Airport Gateway in Atlanta, Georgia.

Participants learned about the latest trends, gained insights in foodservice and supermarket refrigeration issues, and exchanged ideas with peers and industry experts. The event was packed with refrigeration authorities who shed light on the many challenges facing foodservice and supermarket OEMs and retailers today.

A networking reception from 4-6 p.m. will follow immediately after the final breakout sessions have concluded. Food and drinks will be provided, and you'll have a chance to visit with the event's presenters and network with your peers.

Drusilla Hufford, director of the Stratospheric Protection Division at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will provide a detailed update on the status of national and global activities that are driving changes in the HVACR industries. She will recap many recent EPA regulatory developments in response to the president’s Climate Action Plan, including: recent Significant New Alternatives Policy program rules to add new alternatives in key refrigerant uses and change the listing status of certain high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants where safer alternatives exist; the new proposal to update Section 608 to improve the national refrigerant management program by adding HFCs and reducing refrigerant leaks; as well as insights into the EPA’s approach to developing these actions. Drusilla will also discuss recent international developments, particularly the October 2015 Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Dubai where negotiations took place to agree in 2016 on a global phase down of HFC refrigerants. Her timely keynote address will help attendees gain a clearer understanding of how U.S. policy fits into global initiatives to protect the environment.

The HVACR Workforce Development Foundation recently released three new reports and an accompanying executive summary. They concluded that the current demand far outstrips the supply of HVACR employees. Mechanics and installers are particularly in critical shortage in most areas of the U.S. Due to the increased growth in the sector and the ongoing retirement of Baby Boomers, HVACR programs in technical and community colleges are not filling the available seats to meet the current and anticipated demand. HVACR employers are having a difficult time hiring qualified personnel to fill the more than 60,000 open positions, especially for refrigeration and HVAC technicians. In addition, a significant age and experience gap exists between veteran and new technicians, an issue that needs to be addressed.

With increasing awareness and demand for fresh and sustainable products, competition has never been stronger among retailers for consumer business, a trend evidenced in advertising revenue growth. Today, retailers can create the “appearance of fresh” through in-store merchandising such as displays, lighting and refrigeration. However, that’s not representative of the longer journey from farm to store. A convergence of activism, regulation and technology is creating an environment for greater transparency. Now more than ever, consumers demand to know where their food comes from, and which regulatory protocols are in place to ensure freshness. As such, retailers must find opportunities to create a future with greater transparency.

The Food Safety Modernization Act includes new requirements related to food quality, safety and integrity from retailers and at stores. Historically, numerous processes, ownership transactions and logistics complexities have created a fragmented tracking environment.

Join Mark Dunson, president — retail solutions of Emerson Climate Technologies, as he analyzes the methods by which food retailers can increase sales by increasing transparency for consumers. By better leveraging or extending existing retail systems to harvest and using facility data to demonstrate engagement in “fresh and sustainable” farming methodologies, they may generate a competitive advantage that results in more sales and customer loyalty.

Dr. Rajan Rajendran, Emerson’s nationally renowned expert on refrigerants, will provide the latest update on the ever-changing regulatory landscape. With the EPA announcing its final rule on refrigerant delisting, the refrigeration equipment supply chain prepares for the DOE’s energy reduction mandates for stand-alone refrigeration systems in 2017. Rajan will place all of these recent regulatory actions within a historic, global perspective and demonstrate how the European Union is leading the charge on rulemaking through the passing of F-Gas regulations in 2014. Attendees will learn about a new class of alternative synthetic refrigerants that promise lower global warming potential, as well as the re-emergence of natural options such as propane and CO2. Impacts to equipment development, performance and handling requirements will be discussed in detail.

When you look at the energy footprint of a typical supermarket, it’s no surprise that the refrigeration industry has been tasked with improving energy efficiencies. One supermarket requires a charge of 3,500 pounds for its refrigeration system. Twenty-five percent of that refrigerant is lost to leakage, resulting in the CO2 emissions equivalent of operating 330 passenger cars. Annually, a typical supermarket also produces nearly 3 million pounds of CO2 from electricity consumption, 60 percent of which can be attributed to refrigeration equipment. With roughly 40,000 supermarkets in the U.S. alone, it’s easy to see why regulations have been drafted to cut energy consumption, lower GWP refrigerants, and reduce both refrigerant charge and leakage. Derek Gosselin will explore the trends in system architecture that are helping to accomplish these goals, including current options, trials and research in systems that utilize CO2 as a natural refrigerant and R407A as a lower GWP alternative.

When a $21 billion Canadian grocery chain sought ways to cut back on their rising energy costs, they turned to the Renteknik Group. The Renteknik Group analyzed data using its ClimaCheck system to quickly identify where the grocer could save energy. It was ascertained that Emerson Climate Technologies’ equipment and expertise would be necessary for the task. Andre Patenaude and Darren Cooper will discuss how both organizations worked to evaluate how energy was consumed at the grocery; determine which equipment would provide the greatest operational efficiencies; and their collaboration in implementing a long-term sustainable plan for energy savings for the client.

As the regulatory landscape continues to shift around the commercial refrigeration industry, retailers and contractors are under increasing pressure to reduce — and even eliminate — refrigerant leaks. Did you know that more than 35 percent of all leaks are caused by racks? Do you know where else in your facility leaks can occur? Knowing where leaks occur is just part of the solution; learning how and why they do is just as important as detecting and eliminating them. Join John Wallace as he discusses: what an effective leak detection program looks like and the benefits of putting such a program in place; an overview of the regulatory environment related to leak detection; and current leak detection technologies, including tips on how to get the best results.

The EPA’s approval of several new lower-GWP refrigerants through its recent SNAP rulings has operators wondering which ones would best suit the needs of their businesses. Several refrigerants have already proven to increase energy efficiency in reach-ins, walk-ins, freezers and vending machines, but can they work reliably in compressors? Ron Bonear will head a discussion exploring the capacity and efficiency performance of various lower-GWP A1 refrigerants. He will also review which challenges the new refrigerants pose by compression technology and options to mitigate those challenges. In addition, Brad Hopson will cover how increased glide will affect expansion valve selections.

The foodservice industry is currently being influenced by the Department of Energy regulating energy consumption for walk-in coolers and freezers; reach-in, self-contained systems; and ice machines; each having a compliance date. Allen Wicher and Ani Jayanth will address the implications of this regulation and moderate a discussion on how to achieve compliance. Both individuals will explore channel impact, testing procedures to compliance calculations and system improvement levers.

The use of propane (R-290) as a refrigerant has been the subject of much debate since it was first introduced more than a century ago. Often regarded as too risky for commercial refrigeration and air conditioning applications, R-290 has been largely ignored in the U.S. in favor of seemingly safer refrigerant options. But as CFCs and HFCs have become the targets of environmental regulations in recent decades, the low global warming potential (GWP) of R-290 has brought the natural refrigerant back to the forefront. In this informative session, Allen Wicher and Mike Saunders will closely examine the case of R-290, exploring its re-emerging potential while pointing out the challenges to its widespread adoption. You'll learn: why the European Union has embraced R-290 as a low-GWP alternative; how its performance efficiencies and thermodynamic properties are equivalent to R-22; and why some national retailers have recently approved R-290 in smaller, low-charge applications. Wicher and Saunders will also discuss the biggest obstacles to U.S. adoption of R-290 and address the common misconceptions about the sometimes controversial refrigerant to help you w​ith your risk-reward analysis.​​​​

Presenter Bios

Jim AlexanderChief Technical OfficerEpic Services

Jim Alexander is an 18-year veteran of the HVACR industry. After beginning his career as a maintenance technician, he advanced through the ranks to become an executive and owner at a premier HVACR company, JACER.

After selling JACER, Jim helped form RCA Holdings, a family of companies focused on critical equipment infrastructure such as refrigeration, HVAC and electrical. He has been instrumental in helping build the company to more than 100 employees and seven branches across 10 states. Currently, as chief technology officer at RCA, he is responsible for the training and growth of the technicians and managers within the RCA family of companies.

Jim helped found the RCA Technical Institute, which is a training program for nearly 100 HVACR technicians. He designed and oversees the courses which use materials from RSES, NCCER, ESCO and EMS. In addition to his duties with the RCA TI, Jim serves as a chairman and instructor at Dixie Applied Technology College (DXATC) in St. George, Utah. His service at DXATC helps strengthen the industry by recruiting and training much-needed future talent.

Upon his graduation from high school, Jim immediately enrolled in the HVAC trade school at Salt Lake Community College where he began to learn and hone the skills for his technical career.

Ron Bonear has 17 years of professional experience in the HVACR industry. He’s worked in various engineering roles over the course of his career at Emerson Climate Technologies, including new product development, research and applied mechanics. He currently serves as engineering director in refrigeration, where he is responsible for compressor support for both scroll and semi-hermetic applications.

Ron earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton.

Darren A. CooperPresidentRenteknik Group

Darren Cooper is the president of Renteknik Group, an energy engineering consultancy based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. He is a licensed professional engineer with more than 20 years of experience in energy efficiency and energy management; renewable energy technologies; construction; and engineering. His expertise covers the following realms: building and system commissioning; recommissioning and retro-commissioning; energy efficiency and optimization for cooling and refrigeration systems; energy audits; lighting audits; conservation and LEED consulting; and renewable technologies such as solar thermal and cooling.

He is a LEED® AP and Certified Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP) and a member of both ASHRAE and the Association of Energy Engineers.

Darren graduated from the University of Dundee with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

Mark DunsonPresident — Retail Solutions Emerson Climate Technologies

Mark Dunson is a global strategic business executive and thought leader who has led the global Emerson Retail Solutions business for more than five years. Mark has more than 19 years of increasing executive management, sales, marketing, strategic planning, acquisitions and product management experience with Emerson Climate Technologies in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Dunson began his Emerson career as a marketing manager for the Copeland business unit’s international business in 1996, then was named manager of HVAC strategy development for the Climate Technologies group. In 1999 he relocated to Belgium as a global product line director, then to Hong Kong in 2000 as director of air conditioning marketing for Asia-Pacific. He was promoted to vice president — marketing in 2004, and added overall management responsibility for the company’s India business in 2006. In 2008, he assumed additional management responsibility for air conditioning sales and flow controls. He was named president of Emerson Retail Solutions in 2009.

Dunson received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton and an MBA from Vanderbilt University.

Ross FazioService Director Fazio Mechanical Services

Ross Fazio is service director for Fazio Mechanical Services in Western Pennsylvania, where he oversees the service operations for the company. He manages the company’s fleet, assists with sales, deals with invoicing, and negotiates and manages contracts.

Previously, Ross worked as a service technician at Fazio Mechanical Services for three years in addition to startup and controls at the company for one year.

Ross graduated from Robert Morris University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Kyle GargaroEditor-in-ChiefACHR News

Kyle Gargaro is the editor-in-chief of the ACHR NEWS, the HVACR contractor’s weekly newsmagazine since 1926. Kyle has been with the organization since 2004, first as legislation editor, then managing editor, and now as editor-in-chief.

Lamont GillCareer and Technical Education Industry Expert

Lamont Gill has worked for 23 years within the field of career and technical education. Over that tenure, Dean Gill was associated with three separate schools that each has earned national recognition as a Blue Ribbon school.

In tandem with his 23-year educational career, he also had a second career as a U.S. Naval Construction Force Non-Commission First Class Petty Officer. As a Seabee, Dean Gill has served in several commands, which include Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 21, Naval Special Warfare Group 2 and Naval Construction Regiment 7. Dean Gill has done two deployments under Presidential recall Operation Enduring Freedom. He retired from the military in January 2015.

Derek GosselinProduct Manager — Systems Division, Hillphoenix

With more than 25 years of HVACR industry experience, Derek Gosselin currently serves as the product manager — Systems Division for Hillphoenix, a Dover Company, located in Conyers, GA.

Derek began his career as a store planner at Associated Grocers of New England in Manchester, NH, before joining Tyler Refrigeration as its New England district sales manager. After logging more than 10 years in the position, he was eventually promoted to national account manager there, where he worked for another 10 years. In 2009 as part of the Hillphoenix acquisition of Tyler, Derek joined Hillphoenix as a national account manager before moving into operations as a systems division product manager. Today he is responsible for product management with a focus on business and product development, including the promotion and education for the application of new technologies.

Derek received a degree in architectural engineering from New Hampshire Technical College.

Brad HopsonAccount ExecutiveEmerson Climate Technologies

Brad Hopson is the account executive for refrigeration OEM sales at White-Rodgers, a division of Emerson Climate Technologies. Prior to joining Emerson, Brad owned and operated a refrigeration and air conditioning contracting company in central Florida. He has more than 20 years of experience in the field, primarily in the foodservice sector of the industry.

Brad is a member of ASHRAE and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering from the University of South Florida and an MBA from the University of Missouri – St. Louis.

Drusilla Hufford has more than 30 years of experience with the Environmental Protection Agency. There she directs the Stratospheric Protection Division, working to protect human health, the ozone layer and earth’s climate. Through ongoing robust engagement with industry and environmental stakeholders, she and her team have developed policies, regulatory frameworks and partnerships that have succeeded in: cutting U.S. production of ozone-depleting substances by 99 percent; listing more than 400 safer alternatives for use in major industrial and consumer sectors; and encouraging responsible refrigerant management through regulations.

Drusilla has a B.A. in history from Barnard College and an MBA from the Wharton School.

Ani JayanthFoodservice Marketing ManagerEmerson Climate Technologies

Ani Jayanth started his career at Emerson Climate Technologies in 2003 as an engineering co-op and started his professional career with the company in 2008. During that time, Ani has gained considerable experience in manufacturing, operations, product engineering and sales. He graduated cum laude from Kettering University with an engineering degree and recently completed his MBA with The Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.

Jermaine JohnsonOperations ManagerMainline Mechanical Services

Jermaine Johnson has more than 22 years of experience in the HVAC and refrigeration industry. Currently at Mainline Mechanical Services, he hires, develops and trains the company’s HVAC and refrigeration employees; bids potential jobs for future business; and manages daily field operations.

Previously at Advanced Mechanical Services and CMS Mechanical Service, he was responsible for the sales, service and installation of commercial HVAC and refrigeration units. In addition, he became adept at identifying and proposing potential future projects.

Jermaine graduated from Technical Career Institute with an associate’s degree in HVAC and refrigeration.

George NicholsonCo-Founder Vet2Tech

Vet2Tech co-founder George Nicholson is an entrepreneur with a career history of helping solve problems that plague the industry.

In 1990, he founded The M3 Group to create high-quality technical manuals for products in the commercial food equipment industry. For the past 25 years, The M3 Group has been writing and developing technical manuals for more than 40 leading manufacturers.

In 2009, he founded a company to develop 3-D animated interactive training programs designed to simulate a hands-on learning experience for technicians. This technology provides a way for technicians to participate in factory-specific training in a virtual, online environment when it is most convenient for them.

In 2011, to address the concern of a growing technician shortage across the industry, Nicholson developed an interactive e-learning program designed to train technician candidates on the fundamental skills needed for entry-level technician positions. This program was rolled out in community colleges nationwide.

In 2012, Nicholson co-founded Vet2Tech, a non-profit organization dedicated to the mission of assisting veterans with procuring field service technician careers in the HVACR, commercial food equipment and residential appliance repair industries. In 2015, Vet2Tech helped more than 400 veterans connect with service technician positions nationwide.

In 2014, Nicholson sold the online training business to a private equity group in order to concentrate his efforts on the Vet2Tech program.

In Andre Patenaude’s current role, he is responsible for developing the global strategy around the company’s CO2 industry stewardship, marketing initiatives, communication/messaging activities, channel training and educational programs as they relate to utilizing CO2 in refrigeration systems. Previously, he led Emerson’s Canadian market strategy, including the planning and implementation of programs for its refrigeration and air conditioning business. In total, Andre has 30 years of marketing, sales and technical service experience working directly with end users, contractors, wholesalers and OEMs. He also has significant experience with various refrigeration system architectures, system applications, contractor/installation processes and component technologies.

Patenaude is a Certified Engineering Technologist in mechanical engineering from Algonquin College (Ottawa), and has served as director of the Manufacturer’s division of the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada. He is an active member of the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society, Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists, and ASHRAE.

As vice president, system innovation and sustainability at Emerson Climate Technologies, Dr. Rajan Rajendran is responsible for technical support to OEMs and end users for the company’s refrigeration business. He has worked at Emerson since 1990 in various capacities: first as a research engineer; later as manager in the scroll compressor product development group; and as director for 10 years prior to his current role. Rajan is widely recognized throughout the industry as an expert on the application and regulation of refrigerants.

Mike Saunders has more than 20 years of career experience in refrigeration product development and support. His current role has him working at Emerson’s new Helix Innovation Center on the University of Dayton campus, focusing on innovation in the food retail and foodservice spaces. Rather than concentrating on individual components in these environments, he helps develop solutions to problems that exist within the entire scope of supermarket and foodservice operations, analyzing and evaluating ideas that evolve from the collaborative process at The Helix.

Mike holds both a B.S. and an M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Idaho.

Dan SteffenVice President/PartnerAAA Refrigeration

Dan Steffen has more than 25 years of refrigeration and construction industry experience in food retail. He is currently the vice president of AAA Refrigeration Service, where he specializes in refrigeration/HVAC service and installs to supermarkets and warehouses. Previously as senior director of construction, design and maintenance at D’Agostino Supermarkets, he oversaw the general maintenance operations of its 25 supermarket locations. Dan was responsible for several aspects of the company’s new facility construction and remodeling projects, including: budgeting; scheduling; bid process and implementation.

Dan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Bethany College and is an educational board member of the Mechanical Service Contractors of America.

John Wallace has been active in the design and development of electronic control systems for more than 20 years. He is a registered Professional Engineer and holds several patents related to HVACR control systems. Wallace has served on many industry committees, including: the Lonmark Refrigeration committee and the Department of Energy’s Better Building Alliance. He currently chairs the North American Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Data Protocol standardization committee. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and the University of Missouri with a master’s degree in electrical engineering.

In his role as director of marketing in foodservice, Allen Wicher is responsible for leading the business strategy and planning for growth in restaurants, convenience stores and commercial kitchens. Here, he leverages Emerson’s product and system solution development capabilities to support OEMs and end users. Allen has more than 25 years of progressive experience at global manufacturing companies in B2B and B2C markets, crossing multiple channels and influencers. Prior to his current role, he was residential marketing director and business team lead for Rheem Manufacturing Company (HVACR and water heating), specializing in sales and market management, product and channel marketing, product development and regulatory affairs. Allen received his BSME from the University of Hartford and MBA from Cleveland State University.​​​​​